The Story Behind Our Wagons

Whether it’s to wave goodbye to a discharged patient happily riding out the door with their balloons and personal belongings or a more somber time, as these same wagons roll children to surgery or their latest chemo treatment.

Wagons have been our preferred mode of patient transportation since the 1960’s. Our patient transportation team estimates each wagon rolls 12-15 miles around the campus every day. That’s a lot of rolling!

Our patients love them – they’re much less intimidating than a wheel chair and they hold everything including patients, car seats and special possessions. Check out this story from our dispatcher/transporter, Tiffany Smith:

“Brielle loves seeing the bright faces of Patient Transport. She can hear us before she sees us come around the corner. As we pull in to her room, her hands grab the rails of her crib, her binky slides to one side of her mouth to make room for her huge smile. We may be taking her to get her dialysis treatment for the day, or chemo treatment that is needed, but she knows that the ride there and back will be a blast. Brielle loves traveling in the wagons to her testing sites when she can. We pile the wagon full of all her pillows, her favorite purple blanket, and her doll that she does not travel without. With her parents living far away and having to care for other children, Brielle looks forward to the trips in the wagon, even if it is for tests.”

Each donor or community group has the option for a custom plaque with dedication information to be placed on the wagon. We’re always in need of more! Click here to help us keep rolling!

Related Posts

Donna Teach is Chief Marketing & Communication Officer at Nationwide Children's. Her job is to help the hospital feel "connected" – Connected to each other, connected to our patients and their families, referring physicians, the community and the world.

Hi Dona-Thank you for your interest in donating a wagon in honor of your grandsons. There are two ways you can do this. 1. You can purchase a wagon at the store (Little Tikes Explorer Wagons – blue, tan and red) and deliver it directly to the hospital. Please bring it in still in the box, unassembled. When you donate it, you will be asked to fill out a form and you can write on the form what you would like to have written on the side of the wagon. 2. Let us do the shopping for you! Visit our “Shop for a Cause” page on the website: https://giving.nationwidechildrens.org/nationwide-childrens-online-store. The first item is a wagon. Once you select it you can ‘checkout’ and include in the comments section what you would like to have written on it!

If a mail in form is used and the wagon fund is designated will the wagon be marked with the child’s name that is on the form in the “in memorial” box? Or do we have to do it online through the store avenue? My Aunt sent a check already made out to the hospital so I am trying to do this the easiest way possible of course.

A memorial wagon can be donated via a check/cash gift with a form at the $250 or greater level. If you have not heard from anyone to confirm the inscription, please contact socialhelp@nationwidechildrens.org. If the amount donated was less than $250, there may not be an inscription related to the donation.

Our school is collecting items from the Wish List and we would like to purchase a wagon or 2. Is it still possible to purchase the wagon(s) ourselves and deliver them still in the box, unassembled? Little Tikes Explorer Wagons-blue, tan and red. Or do we need to donate $250.00 and have it designated to a wagon? Does the $250.00 purchase 1 or 2 wagons? Thank you for your help!!

Good Morning, I have a wagon that I purchased to donate to the children’s hospital. I am wanting to drop it off, but wanted to verify some information with someone first. Are there specific hours to drop off or can I come at any point to drop off and fill out the form? Is there a copy of the form online or do I just fill it out when I’m there? I appreciate your help! Thanks!